Theater Of Despair (Old WHDAAA) :)

by Reactionist

This is the old version of Watching Him Die Again and Again. Chapters 1-14 before the rewrites looked like this. Have fun comparing how much I've changed between the old one and the new one. I also used the old name for Watching Him Die Again and Again. It used to be called Theater of Despair hence why the art says that name. Had fun using it again! Enjoy guys.

9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Ep 7 Director's Cut

"You all look quite ready." Anastasia mused as she walked out of her room and saw the entire cast sitting with hardened faces.

"Here, boss! I kept your seat!" Mimi waved to the merchant princess. From behind Subaru and beside Crusch.

"Whats gonna happen to the Cap'n in this one?" A blonde demi-human asked from his seat with a hardened look on his face.

"This is the third Arc… It seems that these Arcs revolve around Natsuki's greatest battles." Julius mused from the back with his elegant eyes empty and unfeeling.

The knight understood that somehow, this will contain his very first meeting with Subaru. The time he met the misguided boy that proclaimed himself a knight just to help the lady he stands beside.

Julius wanted to be his friend from then on.

He believed that he could at least have a comrade in the stubborn butler boy when he meet him.

But now he understood that the fault in that delusion laid solely on him.

Julius was not worthy of someone like Subaru's friendship.

He understood this. He accepted this.

But damn, does he hate it.

"So this will show the Whale, nayn!" Felix called from beside his mistress.

"We might get to see how Subaru-dono arrived to the information regarding both the Whale and Sloth." Wilhelm spoke in a grave tone with his expression stern and hardened as if he was going to battle.

The old man was prepared to see the boy he respect die once more.

"That's right! Natsuki-san led the excursions to both the great calamity and the Witch's Cult in the Margrave's domain!" Otto looked at the screen with the fear itching his expression as he thought about the possibilities the Subaru had lived through.

"So he truly faced them both?" Frederica asked with her heart clenching in sympathy for the boy as she knew how hard and terrifying it must have been.

"So this Arc revolves around those two? I guess we need to watch this and learn what big bro had to live through, huh Reinhard?"

"…"

"Rein?" Felt looked at the knight sitting beside her.

The Sword Saint was looking at the screen with a look of guilt and curiosity. "I'll finally get to see the penance of my monster that I saved by killing my grandma. Is also the one that kills my friend."

Reinhard whispered in a broken tone. The reason for his monstrous self and the only one capable of sharing the consequences of his greatest crime.

The whale that had shared the title of his grandmother's killer and the title of a monster will finally be seen by the kid that had suffered and shared those same titles with it.

Felt was worried just like her knight. She was afraid of what might've happened to her big bro. "I shouldn't have let him go." gritting her teeth, Felt scolded her self as she remembered how relieved she was once she had saw him in the palace.

Beside the little girl, was an equally transfixed Half-elf that was stealing glances at her knight's other side.

Where there was supposed to be a blonde little girl sitting beside Subaru and opposite from Emilia, there happened to be an Oni maid happily carassing her knight with a soft smile.

"Um… Rem, I-Isn't that Beako's chair?" Emilia asked pouting.

"Are you jealous?" Crusch, wanting nothing more than to think about something other than her fight with the whale and how it would've gone without Subaru quickly took the opportunity to make fun of the clearly jealous Emilia.

"N-No! I just… wanted to check on Beako! Yeah!"

"I'm fine, infact. You don't have to use me as an excuse for your jealousy, it shows on your face anyways, I suppose." Beatrice snorted as she leaned in her seat beside the happy Rem.

She would've never given her place beside Subaru over to any one… but the maid looked like she truly needed it. And the fact that this Arc would bring some very unpleasant memories about Subaru wasn't going to make Rem feel any better so it was important.

Beatrice was doing this for Subaru, it would be a shame if he were to finally wake and find the maid he's been fighting so hard for as a broken soulless girl that had drowned in her guilt of murdering the boy.

"A real shame, I suppose." Beatrice growled as she saw Rem caressing his hand.

Up above, A fiery haired princess could be seen glancing back and forth between a mop of spiky black hair and the black screen.

"Is something the matter, princess?" Al asked worriedly as Priscilla never looked this anxious for anything since he knew her.

"I wonder if that boy truly understands the power he has."

"It's no skin off my nose but...What do you mean?" Al asked silently.

"Hmph! How much of a fool must you be?"

Al sighed and shrugged his shoulders. If she didn't want to talk then she didn't want to talk.

No skin off his nose.

Priscilla's scarlet eyes remained focused on the screen.

Screen is now loading the next viewing. Get ready.

"My, my, that sounds so ominouuuuuus!" Roswaal smiled and leaned back to enjoy the events that will unfold.

He had leaned back and watched them unfold once before… he had a book that told him of all the incidents that happened after all.

"Cap'n is gonna be cool in this one!" Garfiel jumped in place as he waited to see his amazing captain kick a great legend's butt from the sky.

Petra nodded along his words as she watched with wide excited eyes for another story she get to amaze the village with.

Every looked on, as the screen once again, activated.

Season 1 Episode 7 Director's Cut.

Begin. (Fuck me.)

"Okay, and to finish, stretch your arms up and… finish! Victory!"

"Victory!"

Subaru is shown doing his warm up routine with the entire village following his movements.

As they finished, a happy looking Emilia was walking towards Subaru with her hood covering her entire form.

"It seems that this has become a normal occurrence." Frederica noted in sadness as she lamented her luck for not being able to be as close the nice people of Irlam like Subaru was.

"My hero loved to spend time with the people's village. He would always take all the chores needed to be done either on the outskirts or inside the town." Rem smiled softly at the memory.

"Yep! Subaru is so fun to play with!" Petra cheerfully giggled.

Felt pouted in anger at the missed out fun she could've had.

"All right, line up!"

The happy group of village children quickly lined up with papers in their hands.

Subaru quickly took the stamp offered by Emilia and called out to the children. "Time for your stamps! Who's first?"

The black wearing butler began placing stamps of a cute Puck on the children's papers.

"The kitty is so cute!"

"The kitty is so awesome!"

"The kitty is so sad!"

The children looked at their papers with happy smiles.

"What's he doing?" Priscilla asked in genuine interest which surprised everyone.

"Subaru is giving us our daily kitty stamp! Those who attend for a month get prizes!" Petra giggled as she remembered some of the stupid Subaru prizes that were given.

"A prize system for children participating in a game? That's a waste!" Petra and Mimi slapped the back of Tivey's head for his blasphemous words.

The little boy could only squirm beneath the gazes of his sister and the pouting Petra.

"The villagers seem to be full of life again. Thanks to you, Subaru."

"Well, I did put my life on the line to save them all. I went into the forest and got bitten by dogs to save the kids, got bitten by dogs when I tried to save Rem after she turned into a demon, then had to be saved by Roswaal when I was about to be bitten by a giant dog… wait… Did I even do anything at all?"

"He seems to be brushing off the fact that he died." Anastasia mused wonderingly making a certain spirit, elf, and an Oni look down in sadness.

"Subaru-dono's self worth is very lacking." Wilhelm sadly noted as he remembered how surprised the boy was to find the soldiers waiting on him after the subjugation of the whale. As if the mere thought that people were respecting of him was foreign to the boy.

The old man shook his head sadly at how Subaru had to demean himself to survive the harsh reality of this world.

Would the boy have been better off in his own world? Away from them all?

Wilhelm gripped his seat in disdain at the thought. Subaru was very dear to both him as well as many in this room.

He won't let the boy leave his side after this.

Emilia sighed and turned around to the butler boy.

"Oh, come on! Don't fuss over the small details! There are those who know the truth. That includes Roswaal and Ram… And especially Rem. And of course, I do, too." Emilia smiled warmly at the boy.

Subaru blushed deeply as the breeze blew around him and Emilia.

"Emilia-sama's smile is very effective on dogs like Barusu." Ram snorted at the scene

Emilia looked at the scene with unease. She shouldn't really feel this happy. But the look on Subaru's face made her chest feel warm.

Rem just looked at the screen with a deep look of sadness as she wished her hero could look at her smile like this one day.

"Cap'n's love story is really cool." Garfiel nodded his head while smiling at the scene.

Otto shook his head with a fond smile as he glanced at his brother.

"You're such a softie, man."

Scene change…

"Welcome home. Please forgive me for parking in front of your mansion."

An old man dressed in a butler uniform bowed politely to the newly arrived Emilia and Subaru.

Wilhelm van Asterea, stood before the two at the front of L. Mathers' mansion with a dragon carriage beside him.

(Opening plays: Redo)

"So this is where you meet him." Reinhard noted in curiousness.

Wilhelm said nothing and just looked on past his grand child's head.

The two remained silent and distant.

One was guilty.

And the other was curious how his cold steeled grandpa first dealt when meeting Subaru.

Scene change to Emilia and Subaru talking to Ram in a hallway.

"An emissary from the capital is visiting. Roswaal-sama is attending to them now."

"An emissary?" Emilia asked in alarm.

"I believe it concerns the royal selection." Ram emotionlessly warned.

Emilia looked put off by this, which was noticed by Subaru as he began rolling his arm around.

"Alright! Given the circumstances, I'll try not to do anything dumb." The butler smirked in excitement.

"Hmph!"

"Thats not gonna age well…pffftt!"

As Priscilla and Anastasia giggled and snorted many looked at them curiously.

Emilia looked a bit guilty and angry by this.

"Um, I'm really sorry, Subaru, but this will be a very important discussion." Emilia smiled nervously and began walking away with Ram behind her while Subaru just stared.

He noticed the old man standing by the carriage from the window.

Scene change…

Wilhelm is peacefully wiping along the carriage's doors as a cheerful Subaru was seen walking towards him with a tray in his hands.

"Aren't you bored waiting out here?"

"Oh this boy…" Crusch smirked as she understood just what Subaru was doing.

"He's a bit shrewd." Wilhelm snorted as he watched the scene in fondness.

Reinhard looked down a little as he heard the man's tone.

Subaru and Wilhelm begin conversing while drinking the tea.

"It tastes lovely. I feel as though I'm indulging in a great luxury."

"It' seriously the most expensive tea in the mansion. If the pink haired maid finds out we drank it without permission, she'll flip."

Roswaal snorted once he saw just how fiery the pink maid's eyes were.

"Poor Subaru-kuuuun."

Many giggled at the reaction. Especially the children and a happy Rem.

Wilhelm narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the boy. "And what is it you hope to gain from this old man, using such precious bait?"

Undeterred, Subaru smiled wide and carried on. "I only want to know the reason for this visit. If you could just give me a vague idea… "

"Th-That's dirty, Subaru!" Emilia shook her head in disappointment. How could he just go behind her back and use such dirty tactics to disobey her like this.

"I'm soooo sorry, Wilhelm-san. I never imagined that my knight would do su-"

"It's fine, Emilia-sama. I've never been one to be easily fooled and I found it endearing at the time so there is no problem."

Emilia sat back and looked angry at her stupid knight.

"As I have no idea what your standing in this mansion, I cannot say anything careless. Please understand." Wilhelm denied while holding his cup.

Subaru looked deflated at this.

A smile found its way across the old man's face. "However, I did see that you are quite close to Emilia-sama."

"Did it look like things were serious between Emilia-tan and me?!"

Wilhelm quickly backed away a few steps to not catch whatever sickness this boy had suddenly afflicted as he began posing around with blushing cheeks.

"Tan?" Wilhelm noted but then looked away from the giggling boy. "It is a steep path you climb." He spoke in a grave tone.

"Huh?"

"You are dealing with one who may be the future queen of Lugunica."

Subaru turned around and faced the man with a sheepish look. "Right now, we're just a super cute girl and a useless servant boy."

"You probably think your wife is the prettiest girl in the world. Isn't that what you thought when you proposed to her?" Subaru smiled brightly.

Julius, Crush, Felix, and Reinhard all widened their eyes in shock at the sentence.

And how the old man smiled at him.

"Subaru-dono…" Wilhelm smiled clearly at the fond memory.

"Subaru-san is dangerous with words." Otto smiled at the two on screen.

"Is that Subaru's dad or some'ing?"

Crusch giggled at Garfiel's statement.

Reinhard… was looking at the scene with shock and disbelief.

Subaru just spoke about his grandmother to the man that had been missing her most.

And his grandfather smiled at him.

He didn't know if he should feel anger or happiness that his friend and Grandfather got along so well since the beginning.

"My wife… " Wilhelm struggled to get his barrings for just a moment before returning to his steeled expression. "I see. You are indeed correct. I believed my wife was the most beautiful lady in the world." Wilhelm smiled a bit.

A loud voice came from the side of the carriage cutting the conversation between the butlers. "I'm back, Old Man Wil!"

The two turned to find a cute looking lady with cat ears stepping closer.

"Sorry to make you wait outside. I bet you were bored huh?"

"Not at all. This young man has been speaking with me." Wilhelm pointed to the confused Subaru.

The lady's cat ears began flickering and flapping as she stared at the butler boy.

"Meow, moew? Moew! Mooooooew!" Subaru blushed as the girl meowed and inspected him all over.

"Ah, nyow I see. Of course. You must be the boy Emilia-sama mentioned." The lady pointed at Subaru with a smile.

"Emilia did?"

The lady leaned closer to the boy and sounded mischief. "Well, see, we're not going there just for fun. Let's go Old Man Wil." The lady smiled mysteriously. "See you in the capital."

Scene change to a superstitious looking Subaru standing before a nervous Emilia.

"Well, see, we're not going there for fun. I received an important summons-" Emilia tried to reason nervously but was cut off by the serious looking Subaru.

"If it's important, all the more reason! You're in the battle for the throne, right? I want to help you! Please!"

Emilia and Rem looked down at this as they saw what had happened.

Julius flinched a bit… "He wants to help really badly."

The knight couldn't help the unpleasant feeling in his chest.

Emilia looked dumbfounded at his sincerity.

A blue haired maid that was standing behind the begging boy spoke up to the bewildered elven maiden.

"It seems there are people in the capital who helped Subaru-kun. This may be a good opportunity for him to thank them."

Subaru quickly looked back and patted the maid's head while smiling warmly. "Nice assist, Rem!That's right!"

Subaru turned to Emilia with a smirk. "Some people in the capital helped me. I need to let them know I'm okay."

"Why not? That can be kept separate from our royal selection business." Everyone turned to the smiling lord that had been sitting in the room since the beginning.

"Subaru-kun should go to the capital to thank everyone as well as to receive treatment."

"Huh? Treatment?" Subaru asked in confusion at the magi's words.

Roswaal began to explain. "You overused your already-exhausted gate in the mabeast battle. It will treat that wound. You met the emissary earlier, did you not?"

"The cutesy-face with the cat ears?"

"Ew." Felix glared in disgust at the fact that Subaru commented on his looks.

"That was one of the capital's most brilliant users of water magic, as well as healing magic. Felix is a peculiar one, whose cooperation was difficult even for Emilia-sama to enliiiiist."

"H-Hold on…" Emilia waved her arms and blushed from embarrassment while Subaru turned around with a shit eating smile.

"Really, Emilia-tan? You did that for me?"

"W-Well, it's partly my fault that you haven't healed yet… So you could say I'm repaying a debt. It's equal compensation for what you gave up!" Emilia retorted with a blushing stern expression filled with determination.

"Why are you always trying so hard to ignore you good nature, Emilia-sama?"

Emilia blinked and looked at Otto in confusion.

Scene change to Wilhelm and Felix on the dragon carriage.

"I was surprised to see you talking with the boy. I thought you'd rather chop people in half than talk to them." Felix spoke in a curious tone to the old man that was guiding the dragon.

"That is a grave misunderstanding. I merely took a bit of a liking to that young man's eyes."

"Huh?" Felix looked confused at this.

The old butler just looked ahead with cold unfeeling eyes.

"Those are the eyes of one who has experienced death several times."

Felix smiled at this. "Hmmm… Nyow you've lost if Wilhelm van Astrea, the Sword Demon, says it, I'm sure the boy faces quite a bumpy road." The cat lady sounded amused.

Wilhelm's eyes narrowed.

"How ironic." Ricardo snorted disgustedly as and shook his head as many looked uncomfortable by how accurate the old man's statement was.

"That's a bit too close to the truth." Felix shivered in fear at how his conversation with Wilhelm accurately described Subaru's road.

Emilia and Rem held both of his hands tightly with looks of forlorn sadness.

Scene change…

"You know, Emilia-tan… maybe we should stop this?"

Emilia can be seen wearing her hood as she walked with her butler in the middle of the capital's crowd.

Subaru was blushing deep red as Emilia kept holding his hand tightly.

The half-elf looked determined as she kept her grip on his hand tighter.

"Absolutely not! I know you. The moment I look away, you'll be off doing something crazy." Emilia glared side ways at him accusingly as the boy chuckled.

"You need a leash on him, Emilia-sama." Ram snorted and smirked at the demeaning scene.

Julius and Felix also snorted at how right she was.

A flash back begins playing of Subaru holding on the ledge of a carriage and waving his arms out of it as the carriage was moving full speed.

"Oh man, this is awesome! I'm totally fantasying right now, baby!"

"Subaru-kun is so cute." Rem smiled at the excited boy.

"Rem…"

"Yes, sis?" Rem blushed red at her older sister's dangerous glare.

"Parallel worlds ru-ahhhh!"

Subaru waved his hands out of the carriage to far making his hand get out of the divine protection of the ground dragons that kept everything on the dragon natural and uneffected by gravity's momentum.

The boy flew out the carriage as there was no more divine protection to keep him balanced at it's edge since he left its reach.

Emilia quickly stood up in a panic as the boy fell from the moving vehicle. "Subaru!"

"AHHHHHH!" The boy screamed like a man would if he was not a man.

(I mean like a girl -_- )

"Pfft!"

"Hahahhahaha!"

Otto and Garfiel leaned on one another as they laughed out loud at how their brother looked.

Ricardo and the twins were laughing on the floor.

Petra and Frederica giggled uncontrollably.

Reinhard and Julius just chuckled and watched with wide eyes in amusement.

"He's very lively." Anastasia mused while Crusch struggled to bite her lip and keep her laughter in.

Back to the embarrassed looking butler and his disappointed looking Half-elf princess.

"I'm really sorry for that… But this is just treating me like a kid!" Subaru pointed at the tight grip she had on him.

"You are a kid, infact!" Beatrice called out, miffed that she wasn't there with her contractor.

Emilia didn't look convinced. "Even though you wanted to hold hands on our date in the village?"

"I was physically and mentally prepared for that. This time, I'm not! My hand is sweating like crazy!"

"Would you two cut out the flirting already?"

Subaru and Emilia looked behind them to find a familiar salesman smirking down at them.

"Oh, its the guy!" Mimi pointed while the adults around her flinched at the horrible memories the man brought.

"I hope we don't see him in bad context again." Julius sighed as he stopped the images of his friend's death from playing in his mind once again.

"You're gonna drive away my customers." the man smirked at the couple.

Subaru waved his hand and looked at the man with sincerity. "After I came to make good on my promise? That's cold man."

The man smiled brightly. "Well, I'm glad you felt obligated to shop here now that you're not broke anymore. Here are the….APPLES (Fuck You) I promised." The man said while handing Subaru a paper bag filled with them.

Subaru and Emilia were walking down the streets. "Next will be Felt and Old Man Rom."

"I thought we'd wrapped things up without blame the first time, but then Reinhard's expression went dark, and then he took the girl away." Emilia sounded worried as she explained while holding her butlers hand.

"Hmph!"

Felt huffed and looked away while Reinhard rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"That makes it sound like kidnapping, or an abduction and confinement… Hot guys have really got it good." Subaru glared hatefully at the street that made him not sexy or hot.

"Someone's jealous." Al chuckled. "Although I get it… anyone would be jealous of the Sword Saint."

"I don't understand how my looks could be something anyone should be jealous of." Reinhard tilted his head in confusion.

Julius just glared murderously at him from his seat.

He was almost… pouting.

"If we want to contact Reinhard, we should probably go to the guard station in front of the noblemen's district." Emilia muttered while looking up ahead.

"Emilia-tan, about the royal selection that starts tomorrow… "

Emilia quickly shot him down. "Subaru. What did I tell you? I brought you here to fulfill your promises and to get you healed. You don't have to worry about me."

Subaru looked a little saddened by this.

"How did he end up at the castle then?" Ricardo asked in confusion as he had heard about the scuffle Subaru caused along with the entire city.

Emilia looked angry for some reason as she crushed Subaru's hand with hers.

Priscilla snorted.

Julius carried on watching. "She was warning you all this time… why couldn't you listen?"

Scene change to Emilia and Subaru looking at a huge building with really stunning designs all over it's doors.

The two looked unsure if they should enter through the black decorated door, until a voice called out to them.

"Well, if it isn't Emilia-sama."

Subaru and Emilia looked at the person speaking and found a bowing handsome young man in white robes and decorated uniform.

"It's good to see you again. Have you been well since we last met?" The man gave an elegant smile as he bowed deeply to the elven princess.

"Yes, everything is basically the same." Emilia quickly faced the man with a smile and letting Subaru's hand go.

"You also seem well, Julius."

"The mere fact that you remember me is an honor."

The young man knelt before the princess and looked up with shining yellow eyes. "You have only grown more beautiful, Emilia-sama."

Julius kissed the back of Emilia's hand….

Making Subaru glare with rage.

"Ooofff!"

"Hahahah!"

Ricardo and Al winced at the look on the boy's face. While Felt laughed with Mimi at how jealous he was.

Emilia shook her head at her knight's idiocy.

Julius seemed to be in thought as he looked on. "Could it be… he did all of that because of me?" The knight carried on watching with a small frown as guilt began setting in.

"Thank you. Forgive me for asking so abruptly, but I have business here, and I'd like you to act as my agent in the castle."

Julius pointed at the rage seething Subaru and smiled. "Does your business involve this young man?"

Subaru glared hatefully.

Julius grinned. "His character and attitude are ill-matched with his attire. That's no way to conduct yourself before one you've just met."

Subaru tried to smile through his jealousy filled expression.

"Thanks for the warning! I've got a warning for you, shouldn't eat curry udon in that suit. If soup splatters, the stains will really stand out."

"…"

"…"

(Kill me.)

"De fuck is that?"

Otto shrugged and shook his head at the meeting between these two.

"Hmm it seems your relationship was always sour from the very start, huh, Julius-kun?" Anastasia mused with a small smile.

Julius just shook his head and began lamenting on how he'd feel if he was in Subaru's same shoes.

"There must've been an exact reason for him to act so jealous and stupid here…. But what is it?" Julius muttered and struggled to understand what had changed Subaru in this scene and in the castle.

"Subaru…" Emilia shook her head at the boy's jealous nature. She didn't like this aspect of her knight… is this why he broke his promise.

"Just for that?" Emilia asked softly in anger.

Julius decided to destroy the silence by being the bigger asshole of the three and gave an understanding expression. "I don't know what curry udon is, but I will keep that in , allow me to show you to the conference mirrors."

As Julius moved to speak with the guardsmen, Subaru asked Emilia what a conference mirror was?

"It's a metia that allows you to talk with someone through two mirrors facing each other."

"Ah, mirrors… How very magical." Subaru grinned and moved to step towards the building, only to be stopped by Emilia.

"Subaru, wait here. I don't think it would be a pleasant experience for you."

"I've already had an experience that wasn't pleasant." Subaru clenched his fist and glared at Julius. "That bastard, licking all over your cute little hand as if he owned it… "

Subaru gritted his teeth in anger.

"He seems… "

"A little too upset?"

Frederica nodded with Petra as they both felt really uncomfortable with how Subaru was acting.

Everybody was.

"I'll try to come back before things run too long. Be good and wait, okay? Please?"

Emilia begged as she entered through the building.

Scene change to Subaru sitting on a street ledge with a miserable look on his face.

"I look so pathetic."

"That's normal, whats the true problem?" Some chuckled at Ram's snappish remark.

Subaru looked around and instantly honed in on a fiery haired lady in a red and black dress getting pulled into an alleyway.

"Hm? He meets Barielle this early?" Crusch mused in surprise.

Anastasia and Emilia leaned in to see what this meeting was about.

"Huh?"

Subaru quickly stands up. "That's a bold thing to do infront of a guard station. It's darkest at the foot of the lighthouse, I guess."

Scene change to… The three thieves from Arc 1 surrounding the lady.

"Are ya serious?!"

"I haaaaaate these guys!"

Felt facepalmed in embarrassment as those three were members of her camp.

"Don't screw around with us!"

"Want us to mess up that pretty face of yours?"

The lady simply smiled. "Don't make such a racket, commoners. Fools with no character pick fights for the most foolish reasons."

As the lady faced the three idiots, Subaru suddenly entered the alleyway and yelled out. "Sorry I'm late, honey!" Subaru suddenly walks inbetween the thieves and stands beside the lady. "It looks like there's been a bit of trouble, but remember who I am and cut me some slack. Come on, let's go."

"Bold!" Ricardo and Garfiel laughed at the stupid plan their brother had made while Otto was rolling on the floor.

Emilia and Rem scowled at the way he called Priscilla honey.

Subaru tried to get the lady out of the alleyway by gabbing her hand.

He failed to see her scarlet eyes glaring hatefully at him.

"Do not touch me as if you know me!" The lady quickly slammed Subaru's entire body into a wall.

"Cliffhanger…" Subaru uttered as he slid down the wall beside the bag of fallen Apples. (-_-)

"He was trying to help you, I suppose!" Beatrice glared spitefully at the princess.

"I don't know what toilet you were raised in, but a commoner should not touch a god such as myself."

Beatrice and Priscilla glared at one another with disdain and hatred.

Rem, Emilia and Crusch were also glaring up at the fiery woman.

"I don't want drooling commoners following me around." The lady glared at the boy with disgust as she opened her fan.

Subaru stood up and glared at the woman. "Figure out what's going on! It was supposed to be the classic scenario where I save a girl from hoodlums! Oh…"

Subaru slowly turned from the woman and to the three thieves… "Are you three the ones from the capital?"

"We met this guy in the alley behind the shopping district."

"It's the brat from back then?"

Subaru quickly leaned forward with a smooth smile on his face. "So, for my sake, could you just let us-"

"Are you dumb?This just makes it three on two, instead of three on one."

Subaru's smile was filled with unease but his expression soon turned to panic as the lady beside him spoke in a bored tone.

"You should correct that… It isn't three on two, but three on one on one."

"Would you be quite for a second?!"

"I don't know how she didn't kill him for that." Al shook his helmeted head in relief.

"I think its hilarious how he treats candidates to the royal throne so brashly." Anastasia thought out loud while watching with a smile.

Subaru glared at the three while thinking to himself.

I have no choice. This is the last trick I wanted to use, but…

Subaru quickly placed his hands in his pockets and leaned closer towards the three.

"Just so you know, I know Reinhard-san. If I call for him, he'll come running!" Subaru stared degenerately at the three making them flinch back.

Secret Technique: Fox in Tiger's Clothing!

"That's not a good look for my Subaru." Rem pouted at the creepy looking Subaru.

"Hmph! I see nothing different." Ram snorted.

"That is a smart move." Reinhard mused, willingly letting Subaru to use his name just this once to save a wandering lady… even if that lady was someone Reinhard's mistress detested.

As Subaru was facing off the thieves, a figure showed up from behind the boy.

"Been a while since I've seen you. What're ya doing here?"

Subaru looked away from the hoodlums and looked back towards the speaker. A smile found it's way on his face.

"Old Man Rom!"

"Man, how does Natsuki-san come across all these people like this?" Otto asked exasperated at the chain of events.

Felt's eyes narrowed as she remembered what her old man was doing while she was getting stuffed in a dress at a castle.

Scene change to the three bandits running for their lives.

"Damn you!"

"We won't forget this!"

"I hope we never see those three again." Tivey sighed tiredly as many nodded with him.

Subaru picked up the paper bag and wiped his brow. "You saved me, Old Man Rom." He smiled towards the rough demi human.

"I doubt this girl and I could've handled that alone."

The lady quickly closed her fan and spoke up. "Don't misunderstand. Even without you two, I was in no trouble."

"Say what?" Subaru quickly turned to the lady and began acting out a scene. "I didn't need your help. I'm super strong! I was doing just fine!"

"Something like that?"

Beatrice, Rem and the candidates all laughed out loud with clear indication that they all enjoyed this scene to piss off the nasty noble.

Priscilla just scoffed at the little worms beneath her and their monkey brains.

The lady only smiled smugly. "No. This world is designed to operate in the way that works best for me, so I am never at a disadvantage."

"R-Really?Well, I shouldn't have butted in, then. Sorry to interfere." Subaru looked a little weirded out.

"What does that mean?" Petra asked in confusion.

"That lady is nasty." Mimi scowled at the arrogance on the screen.

Garfiel and Frederica agreed with her.

The old giant beside him quickly interjected. "By the way, boy, do ya know where Felt went off to?"

"You didn't hear? Apparently, Reinhard took her away."

"Reinhard…" The old man looked at the large foreboding majestic castle at the top of the large hill. "It had to be an Astrea, eh?"

"So that's how he knew I'm in the castle!" Felt smirked wide as she thanked her stars for her big bro's luck. She wouldn't have ever saw Rom again.

"What does he mean by that statement?" Julius asked in a stern tone at one of the greatest family in the kingdom being disrespected.

"Old Man Rom's a former rebel." Reinhard state in a cold offed tone as he kept his eyes to the screen.

Julius was shocked by that statement.

"Something wrong?" Subaru asked, noticing the forlorn look on Rom's face.

"Nah, just talking to myself. You try not to cause any more trouble, y'hear?"

"S-Sure."

Subaru and the lady with the fan looked on as the large man exited the alley.

A voice called out from behind them. "I finally found you!"

Subaru looked behind him to find a miffed hooded elf. "Oh, Emili-"

Then he noticed a helmeted one armed man standing beside her.

"Wait, wait, wait! You can't just pick up Emilia-tan while I'm away!"

The helmeted man tilted his head to Emilia. "Looks like your buddy's got a screw loose, little lady. He's more worried about losing you to another man than happy to see you. A man's heart is so complex, it's a thrill to watch."

"You've got a pretty messed-up fashion sense yourself!"

The helmet wearing man leaned down and met Subaru's forehead with his own. "Now, that's no way to talk to someone. I can overlook that since I'm a cool, good-natured man, but some might lop off your head for that."

"Relax, Subaru. His outfit surprised me, too." Emilia interjected.

"Yeah, will… I was surprised when she asked for my help while I was looking for a lost child, too."

Subaru looked from the weird man and smiled at Emilia. "Emilia-tan, you're too soft-hearted. Most would think a guy dressed like this who's looking for a lost child is gonna kidnap them."

Subaru smiled at the elf girl. "Thank god we're tied by a red string of fate."

For some reason… The man beside him went completely rigid.

"What does that mean?" Reinhard asked curiously to learn more of Subaru's otherworldly knowledge.

Naturally, the smug Empress herself answered to piss off an Otto and two girls that were crushing a sleeping boy's hands.

"Hmph! Subaru's world believes that lovers or partners that were made for one another are have their souls tied to one another no matter what happens. A string of fate, as to say, that their destinies are intertwined with one another. It's red because red represents the color of love and passion in his world. So in a sense, he's saying that they're soulmates, infact. Hmph!"

The people around her looked at the girl in wonder and awe at such knowledge.

"A red string of fate… How accurate." Roswaal smiled warmly as he thought about his teacher and the gospel that led him to his desired fate.

"That's so beautiful!" Petra looked like she was crying from such a statement.

Rem looked a little saddened that he never said things like this to her.

"Such fine words, Subaru-dono." Wilhelm nodded his head as he thought about his wife. Yes, a red string of fate.

Emilia had a small smile on her face as she nuzzled her knight's shoulder.

She felt so happy.

"My, how attentive of you to wait where you knew I would be. I commend your dedication, Al."

The condescending smug voice of the lady behind them sounded as she smirked at the man known as Al.

"You were the lost child?!"

The scarlet blood eyes of the lady were stuck on Emilia, making the half-elf hide behind Subaru's back. The butler noticed this and began sitting an exit.

"Well, it looks like we both found who we were looking for. Let's go." Subaru began walking out of the alley while pushing Emilia out with him.

"Why were you hiding from her?" Otto asked the elven princess beside him.

"The council ordered the candidates to never interact with one another before the selection was official started, which it wasn't back then so I had to slip away." Emilia answered as she sat up and looked at the screen in a sour mood.

"Wait." The boy froze as the lady stepped closer. "What is in that bag?"

"They're Appas, They're fictional fruits that Harvey Weinstein used to eat before the ring opened up." (Fuck u Appas!)

The lady didn't look convinced. "Don't make me laugh. Appas have white flesh."

"Well, yeah, the insides are white… Wait, so you've never seen an unpeeled Apple?"

The lady looked confused at this.

"How spoiled are you?!" Felt asked in shock.

Most people looked at the princess in shock at this.

Priscilla kept watching the screen.

Subaru smiled and picked one from his bag, throwing it to the lady and making her catch it with a bewildered expression.

The scarlet irises looked at the boy filled with confusion. "For you. Don't go skipping off after any bad guys again, okay?"

Subaru smiled at the lady.

"My hero is too kind." Rem smiled sweetly at the scene.

A certain duchess looked at the princess skeptically… to find the lady just staring at the scene while holding her fan up to her face.

Priscilla had a small frown behind the fan.

Scene change….

"Subaru… That girl form before…"

"Huh?" Subaru looked at the half-elf princess walking beside him in confusion.

"Where did you meet that girl? And how?"

"What's this, Emilia-tan? Are you jealous? Are you actually getting jealous over me?"

Subaru suddenly stopped walking just as Emilia had… the half-elf was serious and stern as she stared at him.

"Subaru…"

"H-Huh? Emilia-tan, why the serious face?" Subaru smiled worriedly and nervously.

Emilia quickly changed her expression and smiled. "N-Nothing… if you don't know, it's fine. Forget about it."

Scene change to a dragon carriage carrying both the lady from before and the helmeted man, Al.

The lady was holding the APPLE Subaru had given her and was glaring at it in disbelief.

She took a small bite from it and chewed with a determined look.

Her eyes widened.

"Oh! It really is an Apple!"

"Pfft! Course 't's an Apple! Are ya dumb?!" Garfiel snorted from his seat.

Priscilla hummed in amusement as she found it amusing that a sub human scum could speak with a divine.

"What an unruly cat." She mused to herself.

Scene change to Subaru and Emilia sitting in a strange household.

"What? I have to stay here tomorrow?!"

"Of course you do. That was our agreement all along." Emilia sternly refuted the boy as he stood before her.

"Yeah but we never got in touch with Reinhard, right? So if we go to the castle tomorrow, we might see him… "

"I'll be sure to ask about Felt." Emilia began walking away from him.

"But I should go in person to-"

"This is exactly why I can't take you with me." Subaru stopped in his tracks as Emilia turned towards him with a stern gaze. "If I do, you'll push yourself too hard again. I don't want to let you do that. Understand?"

"You're the one who doesn't understand!If I have to push myself to help you, I will. I want to push myself!"

"Absolutely not. Until your body fully heals, no using magic or pushing yourself!Promise me, Subaru."

"All right. I promise. I won't use magic. So let me go with you!"

"I can't bring an outsider into this. So please, just wait here with Rem, all right?"

Subaru looked at the ground in upset but Emilia stepped closer with a pleading look while holding his hand.

"I'm asking you, Subaru. Give me reason to trust you."

Scene change to Emilia and Roswaal leaving in a carriage.

Subaru is seen looking out the window as the two leave.

I know there are those in the capital who consider Emilia an enemy.

Images of the time where Elsa was trying to kill Emilia played.

That's why I have to stay close to her.

"Why is he so adamant?" Julius asked in frustration.

Emilia sighed heartbreakingly at how stubborn the boy was. She knew the reason for him pushing himself was because he loves her, she feels giddy just thinking about it, but that doesn't explain why he would ignore her promise like this!

"So he ignored his promise and went to the castle anyway?" Ricardo winced at the bad image the boy set for himself.

"I don't like this aspect of him." Anastasia scowled a bit as a merchant, promises were looked at as things of pure comedic value, but when they mattered in friendships and trust they are very important.

"Cap'n…" Garfiel looked disappointed with his captain.

Crusch silently glanced toward her butler knight.

Wilhelm nodded at her.

"I saw it too."

Crusch looked up at the screen and began thinking about Subaru's strange actions on the screen.

"He's scared…" Crusch whispered softly.

"Hmmm." Priscilla hummed as she looked thoughtfully at the boy.

"Big bro…" Felt glared at the screen as she came to a conclusion.

Otto scowled with his mouth open as he so what these four had seen.

Subaru's greatest scar.

And the reason for all these selfish disgusting actions.

Subaru narrowed his eyes in determination.

"What's the matter?" Rem asked from behind him.

Subaru looked back at her with confidence brimming in his eyes. "I'm going to save Emilia. And to do that… "

He looked at Rem…

Stare…

"Wh-What is it, Subaru-kun? It makes me uncomfortable when you stare at me with such imposing eyes… " The maid blushed under his gaze.

Stare…

Rem's blushing face turned deep red. She took a moment to place her tray down and sighed.

"It's at the castle. There will likely be heavy security, though."

"I'm so sorry, Emilia-sama." Rem looked guilty as she clenched Subaru's hand.

Emilia said nothing and watched with a disappointed look in her eyes.

"Security isn't the problem. I can't stand not being involved in Emilia's important affairs."

Emilia glared.

"What an ignorant slob." Ram nastily quipped glaring at the screen.

Felix snorted at the scene as he didn't find it surprising.

"Subaru-kun…"

"I'm only of any use when something happens. So I want to be with her when important things are going on!" His eyes are shining with determination as he glares at Rem.

"Is this why he's acting so dishonorably like this?Because he wants to be useful?" Julius spat, his usually elegant tone gone and filled with hatred.

The maid smiles to herself."I am now going to set about a new apple recipe that I just came up with."

"Huh?" Subaru looked confused as the maid smiled at him.

"It will require intense concentration, so if someone were to leave his room, I most likely wouldn't notice." The maid left with a smile on her face.

"Ohhh, you're such a baaaaad maid, Rem-rin."

"I'm sorry, Roswaal-sama!"

"It's okaaaay our dearest knight learned from your mistake anywaaaaays." Roswaal said in a mocking tone.

Rem looked down in guilt.

Emilia was more angry at Subaru.

Scene change…

Subaru is running through the capital's streets in his butler uniform.

I'm such a scumbag for relying on Rem all the time…

"Damn, right." Felix snorted as he prepared to watch the boy get beaten for his weakness and arrogance.

Subaru stops right before a great gate with insignia emblems all over it.

"But the problem is how I'm gonna get into the castle. I guess times like this call for that… hitchhiking!"

Subaru pulled his finger up to the empty road and suddenly, a prestige looking dragon carriage showed up before him.

"You are lucky, pal. Be grateful for this coincidence. We just happen to be on our way to the castle too."

"That's… convenient." Otto noted suspiciously.

Al shrugged. "Blame your bro's luck, pal."

The scene shows Subaru sitting in the carriage with both Al and The lady from before.

"The castle? What for?"

"There is only one reason to head to the castle today."

Subaru looked confused at the lady's answer.

"Oh, you didn't know?This lady here is one of the candidates to succeed to the throne of Lugunica, Priscilla Barielle-sama herself." As Al pointed and explained who this proud and amused lady was, Subaru couldn't help the startled expression on his face.

"For real? So why did you pick me up?"

"For no other reason than it seemed amusing. A mere lark. Taking you to the castle will make things interesting." The noble lady answered while smirking amused and confident.

"Interesting?"

"This world is designed to operate in the way that works best for me, so it's a given that all things will work in my favor. It's only a matter of choosing whether something amuses me or not. However, if I had to name a reason other than amusement… I would say that making you act like my personal jester would be highly gratifying."

(The following will be a scene that I mixed up from my own ideas and a little bit of the manga. This scene was cut from the anime since they were on a budget. Its a cool one so Imma keep it.)

"What do ya mean, Jester?!" Subaru shouted in upset and was about to give the lady a piece of his own mind before a sword's tip was placed on his adam's apple.

Subaru gulped and glared at the one armed helmet wearing man beside him.

"So you can actually use that arm to fight?" The boy's eyes shook from the fear but his words were scathing.

Al just snorted and placed his sword back in its sheath. "You could say that I've been able to survive longer with just a single arm, besides, I'm the only person in this world that can understand your agony let's be on good terms, pal."

"What does that mean?" Otto asked as many people looked at Al in suspicion.

The helmeted man remained motionless.

"Huh?" Subaru uttered in bewilderment.

"You were summoned too, right? To this world?"

Subaru's eyes widened in shock. "What?…"

"What?!"

"So you've been taken from Subaru's world too?!" Emilia sounded the question that everyone was asking as they all stared at the helmeted one armed man.

"I guess it had to come out." Al sighed deeply.

"I won't blame you if you don't believe me. I couldn't believe my ears yesterday either. It's been around 18 years since I've heard words such as a red string of fate."

"18 years?" Subaru utter unable to believe his ears.

"I was summoned here around 18 years ago. I lost my arm around the same time, you could say a lot of stuff happened."

"Do you know why you've been summoned?"

"I haven't been pursuing the reason, merely struggling to stay alive."

Subaru and Al stared at one another. One was shocked and the other was feeling relief that he wasn't alone anymore.

"I don't understand… Did the Witch summon you as well?" Julius asked eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Al just shrugged his shoulders putting everyone off by how calm he was.

"Might be? I really couldn't care less, pal."

"Do you even miss your world?" Emilia asked the man in pity.

Al stayed silent.

"Don't make such irritating faces. It'll damage the dignity of my dragon carriage."

Subaru looked at the fiery looking woman beside him.

Priscilla looked at him with a look of pure boredom from his existence as she swung her leg back and forth.

"You two clowns who claim to have come from a place that's beyond the great waterfall. Say something that'll entertain me instead."

"The great waterfall?"

Priscilla's eyes widened with astonishment at Subaru's limited knowledge.

"You don't know of it? At the four corners of the world, the land cuts off and there exists a torrent of water that washes everything away. In other words, the great waterfall. There are some times people that claim to be from beyond there. They're generally just lies."

Priscilla stared at the two men before her.

"However… Al is different… and it appears… so are you."

"Hm, you have a knight that's from another world as well…" Anastasia mused in miffed upset that someone like Priscilla got such useful information.

"Hmph! Aldebaran's position is not because he's some otherworldly commoner. He's my knight because he entertains me."

Anastasia fumed some more at these words. How can someone have this useful information in their hands and not take advantage?!

The merchant girl was red in the cheeks!

Scene change…

Priscilla is walking ahead of the two through a royal looking hallway with knights standing at the ready.

They all stand before a great entrance that had a man standing infront of it in wait.

"Your apple handler?" The man asked as Priscilla explained who Subaru was.

"Indeed. He is something of a wretched clown whose sole priority is to bring me bittersweet red Apples."

The hardened looking man glared at Subaru as if analyzing the boy.

Subaru gulped underneath the gaze.

The man relented and looked at Priscilla. "Everyone is waiting inside. Make haste please."

Priscilla smirked in high smug fashion.

"It is my privilege as their superior to keep the masses waiting."

"What a brat." Frederica hissed, disgusted with such attitude. Petra nodded her head as many in the room glared at the screen.

The door opened to reveal a wondrous great hall that was filled with magic users and great knights with a round seating arrangement at the very end of a huge red carpet that spanned the entire hall.

Walking on that carpet… was Emilia and Roswaal.

Many of the royal knights and magic users stared at the trio that had just entered the room.

Emilia looked back to see what the fuss was about… she hitched in exclamation.

Subaru stopped dead in his tracks in alarm.

"Subaru?"

"Um… Emilia, I… "

As Subaru began speaking fish, Priscilla quickly clung to his arm and pressed her chest against him while shooting Emilia a smug smile.

"Is there a reason you're staring at my manservant, half-wit?"

"Ew, how dare you touch Betty's Subaru, I suppose?!"

Rem and Petra glared at the woman, while Felt and Crusch scowled at the screen.

"Get off! You'll give Emilia-tan the wrong idea!"

"My, how nice to see you, Priscilla-sama! Do forgive my servant for troubling you so." Roswaal quickly interjected making the smirking fiery headed woman let go of the boy and snort.

Priscilla passed by Emilia with out even a glance between them.

The half-elf had her sights on someone else at the moment.

"Why are you here, Subaru? Didn't I tell you to be good and wait for me? Don't you remember?" Emilia shook her head and looked at the boy with hurt in her eyes.

Emilia and Julius both glared at the screen trying to figure out why.

Emilia didn't believe that he was doing all of this just because he loved her… their was something else. Something that made her stomach turn. Something wrong.

"What is it really, Subaru?" Emilia asked in worry and guilt.

Subaru struggled to answer from guilt but then a loud voice spoke through the great hall.

"The council of wise men will now enter."

The magic users and the royal knights all lined up and to bow for the may old men walking in lavish robes towards the seating arrangement at the end of the hall.

"The wise men…They're the people managing the country in the king's absence, right?"

"Hey. That's where we're supposed to stand." Al pointed at the place were the knights all stood.

"I can stand there, too?" Subaru asked Roswaal as he pointed at Al.

"Hmm, it sounds amusing, so you may accompany hiiiim."

"That's suspicious." Garfiel glanced at the clown and called him out.

"Yes, it does seem really weird for you to let a rouge servant stand where he shouldn't, nyan!" Felix glared at the screen.

"Yes, indeeeeed." Roswaal chuckled eerily creeping everyone out.

"Big bro…" Felt uttered in guilt as she disliked the people Subaru lived around more and more with each viewing.

"Wait, Roswaal!" Emilia exclaimed to the clown. "If Subaru is allowed to stay, he'll-"

But the lord cut her off. "Emilia-sama, the conference is beginning. To the center."

Emilia looked upset and scared at the same time.

She looked behind her to find everyone seated and three girls standing infront of the council.

She turned to the boy with a glare on her face.

"You're going to explain this to me later."

"Must've been quite the fight." Crusch mused as she remembered how Emilia left the boy to her custody.

Emilia kept looking at the screen with feelings of guilt and anger filling her.

"So those are the participants in the royal selection… The candidates to be the future ruler?" Subaru stood beside Al in the royal knights line as he looked at the three other girls standing alongside Emilia.

"So you came after all, Subaru."

The nasty eyed boy was met by a dashing young man with red hair and blue shining eyes smiling charmingly toward him.

"When I heard Emilia-sama would be here, I suspected you'd be here, as well."

Subaru's face brightened. "Reinhard, I've been looking for you!"

"Hiya, Subaru-kyun!"

Subaru turned to see who's loud voice was that, to see that healer lady from before smiling at him.

"You!"

"Oh, Subaru, you know him?"

Subaru quickly turned to Reinhard with a horrified expression. "Him?!"

"Yes. He is a knight, Felix Argyle. Despite appearances, he is male.

And that's when Subaru Natsuki died again…

"He's a girl?! As in, Female?!" Garfiel looked at Felix up and down.

The cat boy pulled his tongue out.

Garfiel looked at the boy with a deadpanned stare.

"One thin's for sure. You're nasty either way."

"Hey!"

Garfiel sat back in his seat deadpanned.

"What's the point in having those looks, and even cat ears, if you're a guy?!"

"I don't knyow what to tell you. You're the one who made the wrong assumption Subaru-kyun."

Felix began walking away with a smile.

Subaru looked behind him and noticed a familiar looking young man.

He glared.

Julius looked back and nodded his head at the boy.

"Subaru, what's the matter?" Reinhard asked when he noticed the animosity.

"Where I'm from, this is the face you make when you see a romantic rival!"

Reinhard blinked.

"What an idiot." Felix snorted.

"Is he jealous of Julius or something?" Anastasia mused.

The knight himself just looked on with a disturbed face, confused as to why Subaru was acting like this.

"Is it truly the reason?"

But what was he jealous of him for?

"Now, if I may be so forward, I, Marcos, leader of the Imperial Knights, will direct today's proceedings. It all happened about half a year ago, when members of the royal family, starting with the king, went into hiding one by one, causing-"

"Listen… I get that you wanna talk up a good show here, but I'm busy, y'know. As we say in Kararagi, Time is money."

Subaru is shown looking at the purple haired girl speaking with the guard in a surprised expression.

"She's speaking in the Kansai dialect? Are you kidding me?"

"Evidently, Everyone in western Kararagi talks that way." Al provided making Subaru think.

"What does he mean?" Anastasia asked with her eyes roused in curiosity.

"That's a language from Mine and Subaru's world so we were surprised that people spoke something we were familiar with."

Everyone looked at the knight in shock.

"N-No way! That language was something the great Hoshin-sama himself spoke in!" Anastasia looked shocked at such information.

Al snorted.

"Ya mean the guy that suddenly hopped up and gave you guys all these architecture and science stuff that helped elevate a bunch of mountainous villages develop an empire?"

Everyone's eyes widened as they understood what was being said.

"Other worldly inventions? Languages? Weapons? Fighting styles?" Al snorted. "You're great Hoshin-sama was a waterfall guy just like me and the kid." Al pointed at Subaru.

"Hoshin was smart about his stay in this world so brought all of his knowledge and made an actual difference here. To us, everything he brought here is from a nation called Japan. And island nation and one of the 182 countries of mine and Subaru's world. I'm not well versed in Japanese but I've seen all of Hoshin's devices and builds. They're all Japanese. And judging from what Subaru had said, I think that the kid was also from Japan, especially since he's been using yen coins before he came here."

(I want to leave Al's origin country open to interpretation. I know that him not knowing Japanese and living in this world doesn't make sense since the language in Lugunica is similar to Japanese since Subaru instantly spoke with fun to leave him so ambiguous.)

Everyone stared at the helmeted man in shock and awe.

"The great Hoshin… was from another world…" Anastasia sat down her world turned upside down.

One thing was for sure to this merchant… "We need Natsuki on our side… He's too big of an advantage."

"Subaru is making a significant difference in our world and in all the villages around the Margrave's domain." Reinhard mused in shock.

"No fair!" Felt huffed as she saw yet another reason for punishing her stupid ass knight for losing the boy to another camp.

As the purple haired lady stopped talking about how precious her time was, the green haired Duchess looking lady spoke.

"I agree."

"Crusch-sama, should the head of the Karsten family say such a thing?" The knight asked.

The duchess confidently glanced to the guard. "It is important to observe formality, but it is also a fact that our time is limited. It would be wise to immediately inform us why we are here. Naturally, I do have general idea."

One of the wise men had looked up at the girl in question.

"You already know the purpose of this meeting?"

"Yes, Lord Miklotov. For a drinking party, correct? One day, we will face each other as rivals, but by sharing drinks at the same table, we learn more about one another." Crusch smirked up at the lord.

He did not look impressed.

"No, that is not correct."

"Ohhh"

Many winced at the scene.

Crusch glanced at her cat knight. Who smiled sheepishly.

Anastasia winced for the girl beside her as Crusch quickly looked at the cat boy in the royal knights quarters.

"Felis, this isn't what you told me."

"Oh, come on. All I said was, maybe I'll be a drinking party."

"I see. I jumped to conclusions." Crusch turned from the cat boy and looked up at the council. "Forgive me. Allow me to retract everything I just said."

"Hey, now! Even if she backs down, my opinion ain't gonna change. No need to explain the royal selection now. We already know. Right?" Anastasia looked at Emilia and Priscilla.

"I think we should hea-" Emilia tried to say but was cut off.

"Sorry, but I wasn't askin' for your opinion."

"Hey! W'at's yer problem?!" Garfiel growled at the merchant as the rest of Emilia's camp glared with him.

Anastasia snorted and huffed.

Subaru gritted his teeth at the insolent purple merchant. "Why you-"

"Hey!" Al raised his voice out loud. "I don't know what's up with the royal selection, so I'd kinda like to hear the rest."

The old man looked from Al to a certain fiery head.

"Priscilla-sama, I'm told this man is your knight. Have you explained the selection to him?"

"Whether I have or not, you men will still ramble on about it, yes? Continue Marcos."

"Then…The reason we've gathered you who are qualified to be the dragon's priestess is because a new prophecy has been engraved in the dragon stone. It says, 'From the five capable of becoming the nation's new leader, choose one priestess to enter into a covenant with the dragon.'"

"Five?"

"Yes, Five." Reinhard smiled warmly. "Currently, there are only four candidates. The royal selection hadn't even begun yet. But today, history is set in motion."

"Knight Reinhard van Astrea, come forward."

"Yes, sir."

Reinhard stood forth before the entire hall and bowed his head.

"Honored members of the council of wise men, I, Reinhard van Astrea of the imperial knights, would like to announce the completion of my mission."

Reinhard rose up and showed his stern determination as he proclaimed for the council.

"The dragon's priestess, the fifth and final candidate for the throne, has been located."

Everybody in the hall looked on as the doors opened.

And a little girl with blonde hair and blood red eyes entered wearing a most regal and refined looking dress.

"The one I, myself, revere as queen… is Felt-sama!"

Title card:

Return to the Capital

"Felt-sama, thank you for gracing us with your presence."

As the Sword Saint bowed before her, Felt could only smile sweetly.

"Reinhard…" The little girl walked infront of the knight and smiled up at him softly.

He smiled back.

He was no lolimancer though…

That's why when Felt tried to drop kick him in the face, he instantly caught it, cuz he's too used to this.

"You bastard! You dragged me here with no explanation, and what do you call all this?!"

"Wait, you didn't explain why you took her away?!" Otto shouted with wide open eyes.

"That's dumb." Felix looked at Reinhard in bewilderment.

Felt just glanced at the knight stink eyed.

Reinhard looked down and fiddled with his fingers.

"You surprised me. What's brought on such behavior?" Reinhard asked as he held her booted foot.

"Don't just stop my kick and ask me that like nothing happened! I've had just about all I can take!"

"Does the dress not suit your taste? It looks lovely on you." Reinhard knelt and placed her foot to the floor.

"I'm not talking about the dress, and I'm not embarrassed!" Felt angrily retorted.

"That's the girl from… " Emilia uttered in recognition.

"I guess it's not that easy to change someone at their roots. And not just me." Subaru sighed at the scene.

Felt looked at him with wide eyes. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"Hey, it's been a while. How've you be-"

Felt kicked him in the stomach.

"Looks like the hole in your gut isn't bothering you anymore." Felt smirked.

"If you were worried about that, be nice to me!"

"I should've taken him with me…" Felt muttered in disdain.

"It's too late now…" Reinhard muttered in sadness.

"Felt-sama, if you have finished rekindling old friendships, please step over here."

Felt did what was acquired.

"So, what is it you want me to do?" She asked harshly.

"I would like to say, act more lady like. But this comes first." Reinhard stepped closer and placed the insignia in her hand.

Gasps and sounds of surprise filled the whole as it glowed brightly.

"As you can see, the dragon gem has recognized Felt-sama as a priestess. Now that her participation has been approved, I believe it is time to begin the royal selection in earnest."

All around, the imperial and the royal knights placed their hands on their hearts in respect.

"Even if the Dragon Stone has recognized her, do you not think her selection is a bit problematic?" One of the magic users voiced his worry.

"Uh-oh!" Otto looked at the screen with worry.

Marcos looked down at the man. "You believe we, the Imperial Knights, have made an error?"

All Royal Knights and Imperial Knights turned their heads toward the line of Magi users.

"Shit's about ta get real!" Garfiel bounced in his seat with excitement.

"The air's kind of dicey in here… " Subaru uttered.

"Yea, it doesn't bother me, though." Al shrugged.

"It's nyo big deal to me, either." Felix flapped his ears.

"After all, I've already pledged my loyalty exclusively to one lady!"

"I feel the same. My sword already belongs to Anastasia-sama." Julius said with a resolved stare.

Subaru glared and gulped.

Well, my feelings for Emilia won't come in second to anyone else's!

"Subaru…"

Emilia and Julius looked on as they understood one important fact.

He…

"He feels inadequacy? Is that the reason for that shameful behavior." Felix snorted out what the two were thinking. "I guess he has a right to be jealous, nayn!He's ju-"

"Felix, that's enough!" Crusch ordered and glanced at her knight.

The cat boy shut his mouth and glared at the screen. Why was his lady so adamant on standing with this guy? He let her lose her memory!

The duchess sighed and nodded to the old man.

Wilhelm understood that everything needed to be explained after whatever shameful incident Subaru had made.

The magi corner of the room were muttering to themselves as they inspected Felt.

"She doesn't have the self-awareness to become a ruler."

"You may dress her up, but she still lacks grace."

"She's uneducated, as well."

"Those horrid men!" Frederica glared along with Petra and Rem at what the girl was dealing with.

Felt just snorted. "Whatever, I'll destroy them once I become queen anyways."

"Silence!" The old councilman ordered.

"Knight Reinhard, would you begin by explaining to us what led you to your discovery?"

Reinhard quickly placed his sheathed Heavenly Dragon Sword on the carpeted floor beside Felt and knelt on one knee before the council.

"I took custody of Felt-sama about one month ago, in the slums."

"She's a gutter rat from the slums?!"

The magi users began muttering and growling.

Felt sighed tiredly and turned around.

"Well, sorry for being a gutter rat! You were the ones who dragged me here against my will!"

Priscilla sighed. "All of this long-winded blather could not be more tedious. Of course, I suppose you lived as a gutter rat in the slums because you could only manage tedious conversation."

"What? If you want a fight, you've got one."

"What insolence. Who do you think I am?" Priscilla glared as the air around her began to emit dangerous aura.

"Princess, that's not…" Al called from the back in worry.

Priscilla had already moved her fan and sent a wave of attack at the little girl.

But she was instead met with Reinhard's bowing head. "Many pardons, Priscilla-sama."

"What are you thinking, in a hallowed place like this?" Emilia scolded as she stood behind Reinhard and shielded Felt.

"Thanks big sis." Felt was touched that someone cared about her like this.

Emilia just smiled at to the girl.

"I was only trying to teach an undisciplined little bitch her place."

"You won't even apologize?"

"Then, will you also apologize for being born? You silver-haired half-elf."

"I'm not connected to the witch at all…"

"I hate her." Rem growled as many in the audience shared that statement.

"*Sigh * Looks like you've made a lot of enemies princess."

Priscilla just fanned herself.

Subaru glared hatefully at Priscilla while Al scratched his helmet from behind him.

"Princess, could you drop it now? I'll be the one to suffer if you make too many enemies, seriously."

"Are you all quite finished?" The old councilman asked in a tired tone.

Marcos took the chance.

"Then, royal selection candidates, please come forth.

Priscilla Barielle-sama and her attendant, Al."

"The selection is pointless. I am the one suited to rule this nation! All you people need to do is grovel at my feet and serve me!"

"Head of the Karsten family, Crusch Karsten-sama, and her attendant, the knight Felix Argyle."

"Should I become the new ruler, I will make the dragon forget the covenant it demanded.

The dragon's empire of Lugunica belongs not to the dragon, but to us."

"Anastasia Hoshin-sama of the Hoshin Company, and her attendant, the knight Julius Euclius."

"I'm a greedy gal, so I want everything. No amount of commercial success can satisfy me. I want my own nation!"

"Emilia-sama and the man endorsing her, Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers."

"I have only one wish. For all to be equal. I desire to create a nation where all citizens are equal."

Roswaal looked around with a smile as he mused to himself. "Still, after the introduction of all those knights as attendants, I feel terribly out of plaaaaace here!"

"Man, these choices suck." Otto lamented making everyone from respective camps glare at him. Even Emilia.

Garfiel couldn't help but chuckle into his hand at how scared Otto looked.

"Finally, Felt-sama and her attendant, the knight Reinhard van Astrea."

"Hang on! Don't get the wrong idea! I never said I'd be the next ruler! Who'd want to be in a royal selection?!"

"Are you saying you withdraw?" Marcos asked in surprise.

"Damn right I am!"

"You didn't want to be queen?" Petra asked ludicrously, unable to believe someone would give up the chance.

Felt just glared at the screen. "Hmph! Why would I participate in something I don't care for."

"So, why did you?" Frederica couldn't help but ask.

"Watch and you'll see."

"This is a joke!" A magic user shouted.

"I've overlooked this because the situation was urgent, but to drag it out this long is senseless!"

One of the wise men (Eyebrow guy. Fuck eyebrow guy) suddenly sounded his agreement with the magi.

"He's Astrea family offers a gutter rat to rule us, while Margrave Mathers endorses a half-devil? Utter foolishness!"

Subaru stared at the man with hate.

"Capn's gonna blow." Garfiel growled out as he himself wanted nothing more than to punch that eyebrow off his face and let the second one hang in place.

Otto looked at Emilia and noticed that she was closing her eyes tightly.

Now that he looked around, many of the knights and the candidates were cringing their faces.

Except for Priscilla and Crusch. These two were staring the screen like hawks.

"What are these two looking for?"

Otto failed to see that Wilhelm and Julius were looking for something too. Only Julius was glaring hatefully as he stared.

Roswaal stopped walking back into his position and smiled up at the man. "It's not at all nice to call a half-elf a half-devil."

Subaru could be seen shaking in place.

"That silver-haired half-devil"

Subaru gritted his teeth.

"She matches the appearance of the Witch of Envy as it has been described for generations! Why do you not realize that even allowing her in the throne room is dreadful?"

Emilia closed her eyes and walked down from the stage as the councilman shouted.

"Filthy Woman!"

"Enough of your crap!"

"Enough of 'tis shit!" Garfiel was standing up, the air around him blowing with aura of rage as he glared at the screen.

"Oh no!" Petra cringed in horror as she watched Subaru.

"This is it." Otto sighed and watched what was known as the humiliation of the half-elf's knight to the people of the city.

He always wondered what happened for such an incident to happen.

"Subaru…" Beatrice called out with an uneasy look.

"Your about to see the nasty side of this hero." Priscilla mused mockingly.

The hall fell into silence as a lone butler boy stood in the middle of the room.

Roswaal smirked wide.

"Why… you fuck." Otto uttered in shear disdain.

Emilia stared at Roswaal with shock.

"Y-You knew?!" Emilia asked in despair.

Roswaal shrugged with a wide smile. It sure was nice, knowing things others don't.

That's one thing he loved about his teacher.

Emilia looked down and in dread. "Subaru, it's all right! Stop this!"

"I will not stop! You people are full of crap! Apologize to Emilia!"

"Subaru!"

The boy flinched from her shout.

Emilia slowly turned to the council.

"Allow me to formally introduce myself to the honored council of elders. My name is Emilia. I am accompanied by Puck, a great spirit who controls fire, and I am a silver-haired half-elf."

"A great spirit?"

Mutters of shock and indignation covered the hall.

Emilia turned and faced the entire room. "I understand that my half-elf lineage and other similarities to the witch subject me to prejudice. However… I adamantly refuse to let all my potential be plucked out simply for that reason."

"Emilia..."

"That was very will done, Emilia-sama." Ram complimented.

But Emilia was cringing as she waited for something.

"Damn Barusu." Ram snorted and watched for whatever the boy did.

"By the way… What, exactly, is that young man's position?" The old bearded councilman asked.

Emilia quickly turned around with a struggling face. "Hug? Um, well, he's… "

"It's okay, Emilia. I've made up my mind, too." (This hurts to write.)

"Your mind? To do what? Hey… Subaru, what are you going to do? Wait!"

Subaru walked up and stood before the Dragon Throne of the kingdom.

He placed his hand behind him and bended both knees.

He did a fucking pose, as he declared.

"Nice to meet you, members of the council of elders. My name is Natsuki Subaru. I am a manservant in Roswaal's mansion and I serve as this candidate's… Emilia-sama's best knight!"

"The hell?!" Garfiel wanted to laugh outloud by the sheer audacity he witnessed. No one but his captain could do something so stupid and look cool doing it. One thing's for sure, this man had balls.

Ricardo chuckled at the absurdity of such a scene.

Many in the room shook their heads either in disappointment or in fondness.

Wilhelm was once in such a position so he understood the young man's nerves got the better of him. He still soured at the scene after though.

"How stupid is this man?" Ram scowled.

The hall looked on as the butler declared himself a knight with a pose aimed to the sky.

"Hmm… A knight, is he?" The councilman asked.

Roswaal turned away while cringing. "Ah, he knows little of our woooorld… "

"No, shit." Al snorted.

Julius understood many things about his supposed friend, maybe he wouldn't have done what he did if he was aware of them.

"But what was it that drove him to hate me from the beginning?" Julius knew that whatever he did to Subaru, it had no effect since the boy had an impression of him from that moment at the imperial head quarters.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but there is something I must ask him… "

Julius stepped forth and looked at the posing Subaru. "If you truly proclaim yourself to be Emilia-sama's knight."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You just declared that you are a knight. And you audaciously did so here, before the Knights of Lugunica!"

The entire army stomped their feet on the marble floor. And held their swords out of their sheaths.

"That was pretty well-coordinated. Did you guys practice that just for this meeting?"

"Nooooo." Petra covered her face, feeling embarrassed for Subaru.

Frederica cringed as well.

"Of course. To make known to all the dignity of our empire, we are highly conscious every day of who we are. Do you have the resolve to match that?"

Subaru flinched back… surprised.

"I want to make Emilia-sama the ruler. No I will make her the ruler!"

"And you believe you have the resolve and strength to do that?" Julius stared hard at the sweating frantic Subaru.

"I don't have anything as grand as resolve, and I'm well aware that I lack strength. But I'm going to make Emilia the ruler! I'm going to make her wish come true!"

"This is hard to watch, I suppose." Beatrice looked away from the screen feeling ashamed for her contractor's actions.

"Subaru-kun…" Rem watched with a frown how much her hero's limited understanding of this world put him through such undesired situations.

Julius shook his head. "Do you not feel that your answer is far too arrogant? Weakness is something to be ashamed of, not to take pride in. Have you worked hard to earn the right to stand here? Have you done enough service to shame us, the Imperial Knights?"

"I'm still going to make Emilia the ruler!"

"I don't understand. After being so denied, why do you continue to stand here?" Julius looked at the boy in pity.

Subaru's entire form began to shake.

"Because she's special!"

Julius looked taken aback but schooled up to continue his assault. "I understand and accept your reason for standing there. But I do not think I can acknowledge you as a knight."

Julius walked back into his position into the line.

"Anyone who aspires such an expression on the face of the one they wish to stand beside is not a knight."

Subaru's face contorted to panic at Julius's words.

He slowly looked back to the half-elf girl that's been silent this whole time.

He couldn't see her face… so he closed his eyes and hitched his breath.

"I-Is being a knight that big a deal?"

"Goddamn it!" Otto gritted his teeth and watched with panic at Subaru's stupidity.

"The young man is in way over his head." Wilhelm shook his head as he watched Subaru loose all cool and respect in the room.

He still understood the reason for all his actions though. And he felt pity for this kid.

"Subaru-dono…"

Every knight glared at the boy as his twisted smile showed just how broken he was.

Pathetic.

"You just happen to be born into the job!Don't act like a big-shot with your daddy's name!"

"Natsuki Subaru, that is not a beautiful look." Julius cut him off and stood into position.

"That's enough, Subaru." Emilia slowly whispered and bowed to the council.

"I am deeply sorry to waste your time. I'll make him stand down."

"Cap'n…" Garfiel felt pure anger that his captain was panicking like this… why was Subaru acting so… unmanly.

"It's even more distasteful to watch the second time." Anastasia snorted with a disgusted glare.

"Big bro just lost to the pressure that's all." Felt kept her belief in him firm and ignored the whole situation. He saved her life. She won't forget that.

"Barusu is such a waste of life." Ram growled at the stupid position he placed himself in.

Crusch just stayed silent and looked into the boy's eyes. "They're…"

"Unnatural…" Al looked at his princess as she said something while staring at the screen with a curious look.

"What did she say?' The knight wondered as he looked through his helmet at the boy's embarrassing moment.

Emilia quickly trotted out of the hall while grabbing Subaru by the arm.

Before she left, one of the councilmen slowly called out.

"Emilia-sama, if nothing else, he has shown us all that you are not one to be feared. You have a fine attendant." (I love this guy… he's my new best boi.)

Emilia stopped in her tracks. "Subaru is not my attendant."

"Natsuki Subaru-dono, please leave the room."

Subaru remained on his knees with a haunted look on his face.

The doors closed behind him.

"He looks…" Frederica stared with a scared look on her face.

"So weird." Tivey inspected with a frightened look.

"Subaru…" Emilia felt nothing short of confusion and pity for the boy and how he looked.

She was too angry back then to see it. But something was definitely off about him here.

"That's not Betty's Subaru, I suppose."

"Cap'n…"

"Natsuki-san…"

The three looked at their friend, brother, contractor's face with sympathy.

"Now, let us discuss how the royal selection will proceed."

Suddenly… smoke filled the entire room.

"What's going on?!"

Someone could be seen running through the crowed of confused knights towards the candidates.

They managed to reach Felt and quickly carried here through the smoke.

Before they could escape… Reinhard blow a gust of wind with his sheathed sword that cleared the hall immediately.

The smoke cleared to reveal An old dime human giant carrying Felt.

"Old Man Rom!"

Knights surrounded the old man and brought him to his knees.

Marcos stood above him. "I don't know who you are, but for stealing into the castle, you must die."

"Stop! Let him go!"

"Unfortunately, I cannot comply. You have publicly declared that you have no intention of participating in the royal selection. I am not obligated to obey your orders."

Felt gasped and looked to the downed old man.

The old man smirked.

Felt's eyes widened as she understood something. She schooled her expression into that of a nasty scheming smirk.

"Fine!I'll do your stupid royal selection! You want me to try to be the next ruler, right?"

"Wh-What're you sayin', Felt?"

"That old man is my family. So let him go right now. Treat him with care!"

"Very well."

As the old man was let go, he looked up at the girl.

"Felt… I… "

"We'll talk later, Old Man Rom."

The old man was led out of the hall.

"So that's how…" Frederica sighed as the last scene left too much of a sour taste in her mouth.

Everyone else shared the same statement.

Felt looked back at her knight. "Hey, Reinhard, was this all part of your plan, too?"

"Certainly not. This was something far greater, guided by fate."

"Ha! Are you a slave to fate or something?"

"No, " Reinhard bowed before her on his knee. "From now on, I am your knight."

"Fine, then. I'll work you to death."

"Now, Felt-sama and her knight, Reinhard, may we conclude that you both intend to participate in the royal selection?"

"Sure, I'm in. But let me just say one thing."

Felt raised her arms at her side.

"I hate the nobility! I hate the knights! I hate this kingdom! I hate everything about it! So I'm planning to tear it all down!"

Felt smirked at all in the room. "How about that?"

"Shit!"

"I'm kinda routing for her."

"I knew my lady's words would reach the peoples ears. Would accept Felt-sama as your queen and savio-"

"Stop trying to make people enter your weird ass cult, Rein!" Felt kicked her excited knight in the face as he was preaching.

Naturally, he caught the kick and sat down.

"Wh-What are you saying?!

Mutters of fear and anger flowed through the room.

"If I become the next ruler, I'll destroy everything! I'll take down every last one of you, and bring a little fresh air into this country!"

One of the councilmen mused from the side to the standing Reinhard.

"Your mistress is quite the intense lady."

"Felt-sama's words will one day reach the ears of all."

"In any case, all of the candidates are here at last. The royal selection will now begin!"

Scene change…

Reinhard and Felix are shown standing infront of a sitting Subaru.

"And so, the royal selection has finally begun, Subaru."

"Subaru-kyun, you're Emilia-sama's knight, aren't nya?Let's both do our best."

Garfiel and Otto glared as Felix was clearly mocking their friend.

Crusch also narrowed her eyes at this.

Subaru remained silent.

"Forgive me for interrupting."

Subaru glared at the young man that had stood before him.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I wish you wouldn't make such an unpleasant face. I didn't expect you to warmly welcome me, but if you take that attitude-"

"If I do, then what?" Subaru hatefully glared at the knight.

"The respectability of those in your company will come into question. Do be careful. Now, you asked me why I'm here, did you not? I came to see you, of course. I'd like you to come with me for a bit."

"What's this about I suppose?" Beatrice asked threateningly.

Julius remained silent.

Emilia looked down.

Scene change…

Subaru is standing in the middle of an arena. The place is filled with disgruntled looking knights that were glaring at the arrogant boy.

Reinhard could be seen talking to Julius from the other side of the arena.

"Julius, you shouldn't do this. It's not like you."

"He insulted us knights in front of the candidates to be our future ruler, and he made light of the chivalry we practice."

"I admit that he said some things that went too far. But for such a matter, he need only be warned and corrected."

"No, this is not only my problem.I hereby administer the death penalty to this insubordinate man who has sullied the knighthood's honor!" Julius shouted as the crowed roared in revere.

"What?" Otto looked back at the knight to see an emotionless Julius staring at the screen.

"Otto-kun."

The merchant was surprised to find Reinhard calling for him and gesturing for him to sit down.

"This had to be done. Nyan!" Felix cheerfully disclosed to the room.

Many in the Emilia faction looked on not liking this one bit.

"Subaru-kun…" Rem growled as she watched. She remembers the wounds he had when he was brought back.

"Normally, it wouldn't be unusual for you to be slain for insolence. However, much to my dismay, you are Emilia-sama's attendant. Therefore, we will fight using wooden swords."

"Shall we begin?"

Subaru glared at the man that stood opposite him.

"Sure! I'm not gonna hold back!"

Subaru ran towards the knight and flipped mid-run to splash dust in his face.

That didn't deter Julius from delivering a blow straight towards his gut making him roll on the ground.

"It appears you truly have no pride. What a simple, vulgar way to live." Julius spat and began smiting Subaru's face with his wooden sword.

As the crowds cheered.

Scene change to a knight entering the hall were all the candidates stood.

"Reporting! The knight Julius and Natsuki Subaru-dono are having a mock battle with wooden swords in the training ring!"

Emilia gasped with eyes wide. "How did that happen? I have to-"

"I just wanna know one thing. Which one of 'em issued the challenge?" Anastasia asked with a cheerful smile.

"I'm told it was the knight Julius. Natsuki Subaru-dono accepted, leading to this fight."

"Well, I'm against stopping them, then."

"But your knight and my, um… friend are fighting!Aren't you worried?"

"Worried? About what? That Julius will go too far, and I'll have to pay for your boy's treatment?" Anastasia cutely tilted her head.

"If we're questioning their mock battle, I can't agree with stopping it before they finish, either." Crusch gave her opinion.

"If they're just duking it out, you could've waited until it ended and told us who won." Felt admonished the guard.

"Yes, ma'am! But the fight was, well… It was just so one-sided that I… " the guard nervously glanced at Emilia.

"I have to stop it!"

"We should go to. You like watching weak creatures be tormented by vicious beasts, don't you?"

"Don't misjudge me with your own unfounded imaginings, Al. But yes, I do love that."

Scene change to the crowd of knights looking at the battle with pity and shock at the brutality.

"Why don't you admit that you've reached your limit? I'm sure you've now realized to a painful extent just what the knights that you insulted and made light of really are!"

Julius can be seen beating a heavily bruised up and bleeding Subaru to the ground.

"What the hell is this, Julius?!" Ricardo winced at the beating.

Rem and Garfiel were full on glaring demonically at the knight.

Wilhelm had a surprised look at such a brutal seen. He knew what the knight was doing, but he didn't need to be so brutal about it.

Emilia looked on with tear-filled eyes.

"Why Subaru…"

Beatrice glared at her.

"I believe continuing would endanger your life."

Subaru slowly got up with a manic crazed glare.

"Damn it. I'll break."

Subaru began running towards the knight.

"Subaru!" Emilia shouted from a balcony.

Julius looked up at where she was.

Subaru smirked and took a chance.

"Don't Subaru!"

"You idiot!" Ram shouted as she gripped her fists in anger at his stupidity.

But she was too late.

"Shamac!"

The arena was filled with darkness.

"This was the ace up your sleeve?"

With one swipe, Julius erased the darkness.

"Your skill level is far too low. Such low-level magic will only work on unintelligent beasts!"

Julius shot towards him and delivered the crushing blow.

"You are irredeemably powerless. You aren't worthy to stand at her side."

Julius said those final words… as Subaru finally fell.

Natsuki Subaru's humiliation… was complete.

"Subaru!"

"That was uncalled for!" Felt shouted as she glared at the knight.

Many in the Emilia camp stared at the knight with hatred in their eyes. Emilia sat rigid as she heard Julius's words to her knight over and over again.

The candidates and other knights were waiting to stop any scuffle that might happen.

Petra and Frederica glared with disdain at Julius.

Stand down, all of you. There's more to watch.

As the voice spoke to the watchers, some calming presence filled the war ready room.

Making those of Garf and Rem be calm enough to sit back down and continue watching, but with small glares on their faces.

Scene change to an unfamiliar ceiling.

Subaru quickly sat up and looked at his bandaged up body.

"So I didn't die, then…"

Julius winced. 'Did I really remind him of death?'

Rem and Beatrice looked saddened by how used to it he has become.

Emilia looked on with tearfilled eyes. She knew what was coming.

She couldn't understand why Subaru was acting in such a way.

"Even if he said he loved me, back at the Sanctuary, he never treated anyone like this. So why Julius?"

Julius himself looked at the screen in confusion and guilt. He had to do what he did, but he could've been a bit less brutal and discouraging to the boy.

He had to remember his weakself when he fought Subaru.

He remembered the weak bastard boy that wanted to be a knight so badly he made his own brother lose his self confidence.

And he had to kill any intention of another kid going through that same path he did.

"Was that problem… me?"

Was it Julius that was insolent and disgusting? Taking his anger out on a mere arrogant boy?

"Ah. I guess its true… " Julius mused to himself silently.

'I don't deserve him as my friend.'

With that… Julius smiled as his heart finally had some rest.

A revelation he had come to once before but this time it was finalized by knowing that he was just as disgusting and deprived as this worse version of Subaru was…

He wasn't good enough of a friend to Natsuki Subaru from the very beginning.

Subaru slowly looked beside him and found a stern Emilia waiting for him to wake.

"Subaru-"

"That talk with the royal candidates…"

"Subaru."

"I see."

"let's head straight back, then. We need to work out a plan for the selec-"

"Subaru."

"…"

"Let's talk, okay?I have somethings I want to ask you. A lot of things."

"Yeah, I guess you did."

"Why did you end up, well… fighting with Julius?There must have been a reason, right?Knowing you, it must've been important-"

"I wanted to get him back."

"Huh?"

"I was being stubborn. He said I was pathetic, powerless, and not worthy of you. He was trying to distance me from, and I hated it. That's why I fought him."

"Just for that?"

Subaru gulped… "Emilia-tan… Emilia, you wouldn't understand."

"I and I will be heading back to the mansion tomorrow. You will stay in the capital to recover."

"Wait a minute…"

"Huh? That was our agreement, wasn't it?" Emilia asked emotionlessly.

"But wait a-"

"You came to the capital so Felis could heal your exhausted gate."

"Wait a minute… how can you suddenly… I…"

"Because… When I'm with you, you always push yourself to do the impossible things."

"That's not what I'm saying! I just… "

"Just?"

"I just wanted to do something for you, so I… "

"For me?" Emilia whispered dangerously.

"It was for you wasn't it?" Emilia asked angrily.

Subaru's eyes widened at the tone she was using.

"No… I just wanted to do something for you… "

Emilia threw her cloak in his face.

"Stop telling lies about how everything is for my sake! Coming to the castle, fighting Julius, using magic… are you saying all that was for me? I never asked you to do any of that!"

Subaru flinched as Emilia shouted at him.

"Hey, do you remember what I asked you to do?"

"I…"

"I asked you to wait at the lodging with Rem. I asked you not to use magic because using more would endanger you."

"I'm sorry I didn't do as you asked. B-But you're wrong. You're wrong! I didn't do it for myself… " Subaru quickly closed his mouth. "You won't believe me, Emilia?"

"I want to.I want to believe you, Subaru. I want to… but you're the one who won't give me a reason to!" Emilia yelled as Subaru held his hands to his mouth.

"Why is he so afraid?" Crusch called out as she inspected the scene with critical eyes.

Now that everyone was looking hard at the hard fight between Emilia and Subaru, they could see something in his eyes.

"He seems afraid." Otto mused in worry.

"What is plaguing him, I wonder?" Beatrice quickly caught on that something wasn't right with this Subaru from the very beginning.

"He's had that look in his eye from the start of this." Garfiel softly said as he recalled the way his cap'n looked unnatural since the beginning of this viewing.

"You promised me… but you threw it away, just like that, and came all the way here! You won't keep your promise to me, and you ask me to believe you?I can't do that! I can't!"

Subaru closed his eyes and hiccuped.

"Hey Subaru… " Emilia called softly. "Why do you keep trying to help me like this?"

"Because you helped me."

"Is he scared of death?" Tivey uttered in horror.

Everyone looked on with analytical faces. Julius and Emilia looked at the scene with shocked and twisted faces.

What was that look on Subaru's face for?

"I… helped you?"

"Yes."

Image of her saving him in the very first loop in this world.

"You don't even realize how the things you've done for me have saved me."

"No, I don't, Subaru."

"I don't expect you to! But it's true! You saved me! So everything I've done has been to repay you!"

"I told you, I don't understand!" Emilia screamed loudly.

"Maybe you don't, but please listen to me! It's the truth! You were the… When I first came to this world, you were the-"

Black hands attacked and slammed his heart.

Subaru struggled to breath and held his chest.

"Oh… Subaru." Crusch whispered softly as shock overtoke her.

The entire theater looked on with silent surprise.

Emilia began shedding her tears as she hugged her knight. She understood now. She understood why he looked like that.

"You were haunted by your death. All this pain. All of it, because of me!"

"I'm so sorry Subaru!"

Emilia looked at him disappointed.

"Once again, you won't tell me anything."

Ending song: Stay Alive (Best one!)

"Why won't you understand? I thought if anyone could understand, it'd be you… " Subaru began shaking in place as despair filled his crushed heart.

Anastasia looked down as she finally felt a little guilty for thinking so coldly for the boy.

"The version of me that lives within you must be amazing. She can understand everything, even if you don't explain it to her. She can feel all your pain, sadness, and anger as her own." Emilia sounded tearful.

"I can't understand if you don't tell me, Subaru."

"I'm so sorry." Emilia begged as she hugged him tighter.

Rem and Beatrice looked at her with pity and sadness.

They too were hurting for the boy.

Subaru's form gave in to the despair and darkness, he couldn't tell her, he wasn't allowed, he couldn't tell her about his issues, about his crushed heart, about his fear of losing her…. So he told her what he could…

"I've… All this time,"

Emilia looked at Subaru..

Subaru took the plunge into the darkness and gave in to his intoxicated mind's ramblings.

"I've made everything work out all right, haven't I?! When your insignia was stolen, I saved you from an insane killer at the loot house!"

"Cap'n no!" Garfiel wanted to jump in and help his captian from this self destruction.

Otto clenched his fists and tried to keep the tears in as he understood his brother's burden and suffering.

He gave in.

"I risked my life!"

He gave in and shouted.

"Big bro…" Felt stared with shock at what Subaru had been reduced too because of his pain.

"He's breaking…" Reinhard closed his eyes in guilt as his actions yet again led to someone dear getting hurt.

"I should've stopped the fight."

"All because you were important to me!"

He couldn't ask for help.

"At the mansion, too!"

He smiled and hid it.

"Things worked out because of me!"

He gave in and began hiding it with anything he could think of. His pain would be hidden.

He would make Emilia love him.

"Without me, it would've been a lot worse!"

"He's just saying whatever he can because he can't tell the real reason. He's hurting because of that." Frederica watched with tears in her eyes as pity filled her at the hopeless situation.

He will stand beside her. If she sees how useful he was.

"All of it, all of it, all of it!"

All of it because he was at her side.

"All of it was because I was there!"

"He's saying anything to make her stay with him."

"Yea, but it's not the right thing to do."

The twins looked down as they saw a dear friend suffer silently and do whatever he could to get through it.

"Did he have a choice?" Al asked emotionlessly.

He could see his own reflection in her amethyst eyes.

He looked mad… he looked broken… but its the best he could tell her.

So he gave in more.

"You should have a greater debt to me than you could ever repay!" he screamed and breathed heavily as his darkness overwhelmed him.

Wilhelm looked down and nodded his head.

"Subaru-dono, is just like me." Wilhelm remembered a time he had the same rant to his wife.

He remembered how crushed he was back then.

If this boy was reduced to such a state with a witch and death hanging over him… Wilhelm couldn't blame him.

"You're right. I owe you so may debts, Subaru." Emilia looked down sadly.

"Yeah that's right! That's why I… "

"So I'll repay all of them now, and we'll end this."

"No…" Julius clenched his hands as he looked on to what he had caused.

Subaru looked up in fear and shock.

His darkness… had failed him.

Emilia walked away from him.

"You've done enough, Natsuki Subaru. You know, I had hope for you. I thought maybe you, only you, wouldn't give me special treatment. That you'd look at me in the exact same way you look at everyone else."

Emilia just buried her face into her knight's chest.

"I don't want you to believe that."

"I can't do that."

Not even darkness or light will make him change this sentence.

"I can't look at you the way I look at others. It's impossible."

Emilia glanced at him one final time. And left the room.

Subaru gripped her cloak in both hands… and cried…

It was because… He stayed alive.

Title card:

Self-Proclaimed Knight Natsuki Subaru

Episode 7 Director's Cut. End.

"Subaru-sama…" Crusch whispered brokenheartedly.

The entire theater was silent save for a few sniffles from Beatrice and Emilia.

"You just left him like that, I suppose?" Beatrice asked in despair as her eyes were glued to the screen.

"Emilia-sama…" Rem tried to comfort her but the elf was just hiding in her knight's midsection as she hugged his sides.

"Natsuki-san…"

"Cap'n…"

"Subaru…"

Julius looked down eyes wide with shock at what he reduced Subaru to.

"So he does suffer from trauma after all." Reinhard softly said as he finally realized why he looked so weird.

"That explains why he looked so strange." Crusch looked down and shook her head.

"You're saying that he did all of these stupid decisions just because of trauma from his deaths?"Felix asked curiously… and cheerfully since he was happy that this weak man got what he deserved.

(Keep in mind that Felix lost all respect for Subaru after he witnessed the death loops.)

"But that doesn't answer why he was so jealous of Julius and so adamant to prove himself to the councilmen." Al thought out loud.

Many lamented the thought.

"Yeah, that's right." Tivey nodded and looked at the sleeping Subaru questioningly.

"That does pose questions." Anastasia muttered as she thought about the way Subaru had been looking since the start.

"Subaru-kun seemed afraaaaid of something since the staaaart." Roswaal mused with a shit eating grin on his face. He was having way too much fun watching this.

"It's because… of Emilia-sama."

Everyone, including the half-elf looked at Wilhelm as he spoke gravely.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Emilia asked in confusion and plea… she wanted to find some solace and understand her exact sin to the boy this time.

"What did I do to make Subaru make such decisions?" She asked softly.

"Hmph! It's clear, half-wit."

Everyone looked up to see a smirking Priscilla gazing down at Emilia.

"This doesn't concern you-"

"Oh shut it commoner, I'll just share my conclusion of the boy's state in this viewing and then you can get back to crying like twarps."

"Fine then." Crusch glared at the nasty woman.

Priscilla honed her eyes across the room and stopped at Emilia.

She had a look of amusement. "That boy over there said it best. It's because you saved him that he got such disgusting attitude."

"What do you mean?"

Priscilla sighed and closed her fan. She looked at the crowed before her in pity. "So dumb. I guess you should be educated by a goddess such as mineself after all."

"Just get to the point!" Felt growled her frustration and annoyance. A sentiment shared with all those in the room.

The lady seemed to ravel in the attention.

"Didn't any of you notice how strange he looked? How scared and afraid he was all the time?"

Many nodded with her statement.

"Good. Now the question is, Why did he have such a look?" Priscilla smirked as they all looked at one another and shrugged.

"Why, Pricsilla-sama?" Otto took the bait and gave her what she wants.

"Hmph! It's because he's become dependent on that half-wit."

Emilia looked takenaback by this.

"But why would Natsuki do all of this and why would he be so attached to Emilia-sama?" Julius asked in confusion.

"It's because she's the only one that saved him."

Everyone turned to see a deeply frowning Crusch looking at the sleeping boy with soft eyes.

"She's the only thing that remained constant in every loop." Ram instantly realized as she put it together.

People started to realize why Subaru had become so jealous and destructive after the maid's words.

"He was so haunted and scared by his death and the hands, he began leaning more on Emilia-sama as support." Reinhard mused with a surprised look.

"She's the one that helped him from the thugs and helped him from Ram's anger as well as Rem's doubt" Frederica pointed out as she put the pieces together herself.

"Not to mention that cathartic lap pillow that helped him calm down." Ricardo started nodding along the crowd.

"So he began attaching himself to her, not to mention how strong his feelings run deep for her…" Beatrice stared at the screen in surprise at the revelation.

"That all culminated into him developing a reaaaaally gross obsession with our dear Emilia-samaaaa." Roswaal finalized the thought to the crowd.

"So, Subaru-kun had been suffering all this time, and the only thing that helped him was Emilia? That's why he got so attached to her?" Rem sat rigid shocked as she understood the horror of Subaru's situation.

It wasn't just nightmares. His entire mind was effected by this curse.

"So when Emilia tried to go to the capital herself…" Anastasia immediately began theorizing.

"And when Julius, a true handsome and strong knight, showed up and charmed Emilia…" Felix weighed in with a small smile.

"And when he saw himself standing beside all these knights that he felt were better than him and have them all give their allegiance to their respective masters so eagerly, he decided to do the same." Wilhelm told in a fond tone.

"And when I shot him down, he was so afraid that Emilia would leave him that he began spewing that nonsense about us knights." Julius dropped back in his seat in shock.

"And when miss half-elf asked him why he was doing all of that… The Witch stopped him."

"Which made him panic and force out whatever reason he could to make her accept him and keep her beside him." Al continued Ricardo's thought.

The silence in the room overwhelmed the crowd.

The reason was found.

"And after all of that… The stupid elf left him." Priscilla snorted as she sat back down.

Emilia just sat in her seat with her face stuck on one of despair.

"S-Subaru…"

She held her hands to her mouth as her chest hurt so much that she thought she was going to puke.

She turned this poor boy away when all he wanted was her help.

"I'm scum…"

"I'm so sorry."

"Please, Subaru…"

"Please wake up…"

Emilia sobbed and cried while every one just looked away in pity.

Rest once more… You'll need it…

The warden ordered as the screen turned dark.

Episode 8… Arc 3's continuation…

Start.

God this episode sucked to write!

I have never tasted lemon so much in my life!

I hope you all enjoyed my additions as well as the reactions.

I really really tried with this one. Please tell me what you thought of everything in this chapter overall.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments on all platforms.

I see everysingle comment. On FF and On Ao3 as well as Reddit. I see all of them.

Sorry if I don't reply to you but that's because I'm constantly writing and or I'm busy with real life so I forget to write back to yall. Sorry.

Again thanks for reading please tell me what you thought about this one.

And here we go… Arc 3.

Please wait… as I deliver Episode 8….

Madness.

"Wha… What the fu-"

"This isn't what it looks like."

"…"

"…"

"It isn't what it looks like Joseff."

"…"

"I'm serious bro."

"My man, I see you raping my pillow on my fucking bed!"

"It's not rape if the object in question can't consent."

"Don't fucking lwarize this shit! My pillow is really expinsive man."

"You know what? I'm tired of your shit, Joseff! This was just a prank revenge for you taking my awesome pillow at least that one had could talk to me!"

"Samantha is more than pillow! She's perfect and deserves love that you refuse to give her!"

"…"

"…"

"Samantha?"

"You don't even know her name."

"You know what I do know."

"What is it? I'm tired. You can take this pillow and just leave."

"I know that I had too much falafel and beans this morning…."

"…"

"…."

"Please!"

"I'll do it."

"No!"

"Screw you."

"Come on, man this ain't cool!"

"I warned you Joseff. I fucking warned you."

"Stop! Don't shit on my be-"

BRRRRRRRRPPPPPR

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"